What's A Girl To Do?
by SweetestReject
Summary: COMPLETE! FOR FANS OF PS! Jesse and Paul both go to the mission...Jesse is alive, and things get dicey when all three are stuck in the mission overnight thanks to a hell-bent ghost...Better summary on the first page, so read that please!
1. The Beginning

**What's A Girl To Do?**  
  
**Plot:** Suze is still a mediator, but Jesse doesn't live in her room because he's not dead! He's a modern-day hottie who transfers to the Mission from RLS. Paul is still here, his story from "Haunted" is still the same. Paul's a pretty nice guy because Jesse's not in the way...YET! Things get dicey when Suze is trapped in the school with Jesse and Paul because of one hell-bent ghost. I've been toying with this for a little bit, so bear with me.  
  
**Disclaimer:** I sadly do not own any of the mediator charactors or any excerpts that may come from the books. If I own something in a certain chapter, I will claim it. Promise. :)  
  
  
  
**Suze's POV:**  
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Susannah Simon." I turned around in the breezeway of the Mission to see what hot guy was addressing me. You could so tell in his voice that he was easy on the eyes, and I was thankful for all of the product I'd put in my hair that morning. My face broke out in a grin as I saw Paul Slater standing, now in front of me, wearing black jeans and a blue short sleeved polo shirt that showed hot ripped his abs were.  
  
"Paul!!!!" I said excitedly. I gave him a big hug, since the last time I'd seen him had been two weeks ago when he and his family left the resort I'd been working at and went back to Seattle. We went out once, but it ended kinda badly- pesky ghosts got in the way, and Paul and I had to do some fast mediating.  
  
"Wow, I thought you'd missed me, but I didn't know you missed me that much." Paul said, putting his strong arms around me.  
  
I broke away from him, kind of embarresed that I'd done that. "So, what are you doing here? I thought you went back to Seattle?"  
  
"I did." Paul said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "But my grandpa needed someone to stay at his place with him, to keep an eye on things, so I volunteered. Now I'm going to my dream school."  
  
"The Mission is your dream school?" I said sarcastically.  
  
"Only because you're going here." He replied, with no sarcasm whatsoever in his voice. I blushed and smiled at him.  
  
We started talking about what we've been doing since the summer when I heard Father Dom's voice behind us. "Susannah, Mr. Slater, might I have a word?"  
  
I looked at Father Dom confusedly. "Uh, sure, Father D." He led us to his office, and I found out Paul had already spilled on his "I see dead people" story when he was registering, because I'd talked so much about Father D. When we got into his office, I was surprised to see a very hot Latino guy sitting in one of the chairs opposite Father Dom's desk.  
  
"Susannah, Paul, this is Jesse De Silva, a fellow mediator." Jesus, is the mission a magnet for mediators? I smiled and said, "Hi. Welcome to the mission."  
  
Jesse smiled back, and I felt my knees go weak. He has one of those kinds of smiles, the kind that most girls would pass out from. Paul laced his hand through mine suddenly, and said, "Hello and welcome." Though, not quite as warmly as I'd said it.  
  
"Well, I just wanted to make you all acquainted with each other, although it seems Mr. Slater and Ms. Simon are already acquainted." Father Dom said, noticing the hand-holding. I blushed and said, "I'd better be getting to morning assembly. Cee and Adam are waiting." Since Paul refused to let go of my hand, he was dragged out of the office with me. "If you need anything, Jesse, feel free to ask." I added, trying not to get lost in his big puppy dog eyes.  
  
"Thank you, Susannah." he replied in a hot Spanish accent.  
  
"Uh, it's Suze." I said, stopping at the door.  
  
"Alright, Susannah." Jesse replied with a smirk. I smirked back and walked out, dragging Paul with me.  
  
"What the hell was that?" Paul asked me angrily in the hallway.  
  
"What the hell was what?" I shot back.  
  
"You were totally flirting with Rico Suave!"  
  
"No, I wasn't and so what if I was?"  
  
"So I thought...you and me...like...could be a couple!" Aw, now it made sense! Paul was jealous because he wanted us to be serious. He was stuttering and seemed to be at a loss for words.  
  
I sighed and said, "Paul, I didn't realize you liked me that much." I mean, I did, but I didn't. "I wasn't flirting with him." I pulled on Paul's hand- the one that was still entwined in mine- and gave him a hug.  
  
Then he kissed me. I so didn't mind, because Paul is one of those guys who you could kiss for forever and not want to stop. Like, ever. We did though, and broke apart breathlessly. "So...we're a couple?" Paul asked, unsure.  
  
I grinned. "Yeah. We're a couple."  
  
I entwined my hand with his as we walked into morning assembly. We sat next to CeeCee and Adam- both of whom eyed me crazily as I rested my head on Paul's shoulder. "I'll explain at lunch." I whispered to Cee.  
  
"You better!"  
  
  
The day was crazy. I had a few classes with Paul and a few with Jesse. Jesse turned out to be a total sweetie, and shared Father Dom's views on exorcisms. I was trying to convince him that sometimes, an exorcism is the only answer, when Paul came swaggering over to me. "Hun, you have a problem."  
  
Ok, not something I was expecting my boyfriend to tell me. "What's wrong?" I asked worriedly, stopping all conversation with Jesse. Rude, but whatever.  
  
Paul showed me a flyer for an upcoming party some junior or senior was throwing. I eyed the crude drawing of a tipsy girl and said, "Uh, why do I have a problem with this? I mean, yes, it's crude, and inappropriate, but whoever is throwing the party will get theirs whenever their house gets trashed.  
  
"Babe, what's your address?" Paul asked. Jesse stood by, smirking at the drawing. He glanced at Paul and said, "You're going out with Susannah, but don't know her address?"  
  
"I know it." Paul shot out defensively. "99 Pine Crest. Which is where-"  
  
"Where the party's being held!" I broke in, seeing the address on the flyer. "That's it! Dop- I mean, Brad- is so dead!" I started to storm away to where Brad was standing, only to be caught around the waist by Paul.  
  
"Whoa, there, tiger." Paul laughed. A few of his fingers went up my pink silk sweater, and I was pretty sure my capris were getting badly wrinkled, but I didn't care. "Paul, put me down! I have to go make more room at the dinner table!!"  
  
"Suze, you can't fight him!" Paul said, now struggling to keep ahold of me.  
  
"Susannah, I must insist you stop-" Jesse broke in, trying to help out Paul.  
  
"Both of you stop trying to stop me! Paul, put me down! I won't fight him! I'll just hurt him a little!!!" I yelled.  
  
"Suze, don't make me tickle you!" Paul threatened. Ok, tickle me? Really? So he did notice that his fingers were on my belly button!  
  
"That's the worst threat I've ever heard of!" I said, laughing. I stopped trying to escape though and fell against the wall laughing. Jesse looked at me like I was crazy and Paul kept his fingers on my stomach.  
  
"I think I'll go to class now. Susannah, Paul, I'll see you later?" Jesse said, posing this as a question.  
  
"Uh..yeah." I said between laughter. "Later."  
  
**Jesse's POV:  
**I walked down the hall to my history class, hearing Susannah's shrieks of laughter behind me. A pang went through my heart, but I wasn't quite sure why. She was obviously quite taken with Slater, and somehow this bothered me. I sighed and went on to class.  
  
Susannah and Slater entered a moment later, still laughing slightly. They took seats in the back and seemed to spend the whole class period giggling over something or another.  
  
I was leaving school that day, and saw Susannah and Slater in what I presumed to be his car, since he got in the driver's seat. From that moment on, I could not get her off my mind. I wasn't sure why, though I tried to erase her memory, but then I'd see or hear something, and it would remind me of her.  
  
Remind me of someone I'd only met mere hours ago. This could not be good. 


	2. Wishing For Susannah

**UnangelicHalo:** I know, P/S makes you cry. It makes a lot of my reviewers cry...I'm not sure how I'm going to pull it off, but there will be a little J/S in here. I promise!!!

**sweet-angel-star:** Second...and third...and fourth....chapters will be up! I swear!!! This is going to be at least 10 chapters. All will be good!

**PoeticKiss:** Paulie, standing alone in the rain? I THINK NOT!!! While they WON'T BREAK UP, I'm not saying anymore than that....Otherwise, why will you keep reading??? I know, I get to kiss Rob and Paul... :::sigh::: Ok, I really did have a dream where I got to do that...it was way freaky. Rob was hotter, and it went further in my dream than I actually wrote (not lemon further, just fluff further. no shirts further. yummy!!!) Paul....man, if these characters were real, I would so jump him! lol...I think I have an unhealthy obsession with all of them.

**Suze's POV:**

Paul drove me home from school, and then we stood on my front porch talking for awhile. I would have invited him in, but since no one else was home, I was kind of hesistant. Mom and Andy might freak out if they came home and some guy they haven't met is in their daughter's room.

So we stood outside for a little bit, cursing the heat. It wasn't too bad under the shade of the pine trees, and I did go in and grab us a few waters. We talked about school, and summer, and this weird thing Paul called Shifting. See, the last time we hung out, his brother Jack accidently exorcised this ghost who's been around for 150 years! I prefer to call him the Guardian ghost because he always helps out kids and everything...but a couple of enemies of the Guardian Ghost convinced Jack otherwise, and I took it upon myself to have Father Dom exorcise me so I could go to the shadowland and save him. Paul came up after a while too, but was telling me he hadn't been exorcised.

"So shifting is basically where you imagine the shadowland and you're just there?" I asked, laying my head in Paul's lap as we sat down on my porch swing.

"Basically. There's a little more to it than that." Paul said, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "All I'm saying is that you probably have the potential to be a shifter, since oridinary mediators can't just be exorcised and survive going up there."

"Alrighty then." I said, somewhat iffy about the whole shifting thing. I hate that place!

"Suze, I hate it too." Paul whispered in my ear, leaning down and kissing me.

"How'd you know that what I what I was thinking?"

"Shifter powers include mind reading and mind control." Paul said simply, now working on my neck.

"So you can hear my thoughts?" That's kind of messed up!

"Sometimes. I won't invade your privacy, though." I closed my eyes and sighed as Paul's lips left a trail of fire over my neck.

"Am I interrupting?" I heard someone's voice. I opened my eyes and saw Sleepy standing there, giving me this "what the hell are you doing?" look.  
  
"Nopes." I said, closing my eyes again. Paul didn't keep kissing me though, so I just turned over and stared up at them. "Paul, this is my stepbrother Slee-, I mean, Jake. Jake, this is Paul Slater, my boyfriend." Ooo, just saying my boyfriend gives me shivers.

Paul thrust out his hand and shook Jake's. "Nice to meet you." Paul's got manners, even when it comes to my stepbrothers.

"Yeah. Are you guys gonna stay out here all night?" Sleepy asked.

"Nah. No one else was home so we couldn't go in." I said. Now I sat up from Paul's lap and stood up. I grabbed my bag and went inside, Paul following me. We collapsed on the couch, and Paul stayed for dinner to meet the rest of my family. After dinner, we went up to my room and practiced the mind reading thing. I was way iffy on mind control- it just seemed like manipulation, you know?- so I opted to hold off on it.

"Ok, Suze," Paul said. He was sitting on my window seat, and I was sitting on my desk chair. "Just focus on me, and then wonder what I'm thinking."

So I focused. And heard his thoughts. "See, Suze, there's nothing to it. Of course, it's harder when there are more people in the room. We should test it out in class tomorrow."

Holy crap! "Yeah, it's a bit much to take in." Paul said, grinning. He looked at the clock and saw that it was almost ten. "I should get going. I'll see you tomorrow, at the front gate?"

"Yeah." I walked him to his car, a silver BMW, and Paul kissed me goodnight. "You're a good kisser too, Suze." He said quietly before driving off.

"Stay out of my head!" I laughed. I walked back inside and went up to my room. I fell asleep, practically before I could change clothes. It takes a lot out of you to read minds and all that.

"Hello Susannah." I looked around. I was in the shadowland...This can't be good.

"Did I accidently shift here? And who's there?"

"Susannah, it's Jesse. From school?" Oh. Ok then. "So, you're a shifter to, I suppose?" he asked.

"Yeah. New to it though." I stood stock still, not liking the fog on my bare legs. "Anyway we can continue this little chat tomorrow before class? I'm not liking the fog up here."

Jesse stood still, and I could faintly make out his tall form coming towards me. He was silent, so I pried at his head to see what he was thinking. "Why does she have this affect on me?...I only just met her, and already, I can't stop thinking of her...This isn't right...I wished for her, and now she's here..."

Whoa, wished for me? That can't be good...Oh shit, can't stop thinking about me? That's not good either..."Uh, Jesse, I'd love to talk some more, but I've got to sleep or I'm a bitch in the mornings. I'll see ya tomorrow."

And then I shifted back to my room. I fell asleep again, with no more shadowland visits.

"Hey, Paul, can shifters wish for people?" I asked nonchalantly as we walked to morning assembly.

Paul frowned and said, "Some can. It takes a lot of concentration, and very few actually can. Why?"

"I just had this weird dream last night. It's probably nothing." I shrugged, lacing my hand through Paul's again.

"What was your dream about?"

"I don't want to say, you might get mad."

"Suze, I could never be mad at you." Paul said. He sounded so sincere, I sighed and told him.

And was right. I shouldn't have told him.

"Rico Suave is gonna pay." Paul said, somewhat yelling. My head hurt like hell, so I shushed him. "No yelling! I have a massive headache."

"Yeah, that's because you shifted last night." Paul said, his tone quiet and sympathetic now. "Post shifting headaches are a bitch."

I put my head down and winced. "Damn headaches." I muttered in the darkness of the auditorium. "Can I just go sleep it off?"

"No, that's not a good plan." Paul said, keeping his voice low. "It's kind of like when you have a concussion, and people tell you not sleep. Same deal. You could slip off into a coma or something."

"Oh." I said, wincing more. "Alright, well, I'm going to go get aspirin. Or throw up. One of those." I made my way to the girl's bathroom and held my head over the sink for a little bit. Everything was swimming in front of me, and I tried to steady myself. Screw it. Going to Father Dom's office. He's gonna let me lay down in the dark confines of his office, or I'm going to cry.

I stumbled down the hallway, keeping my eyes downcast the whole time. I bumped into someone, and turned to say, "Sorry." only to see that it was Jesse.

The reason for my headache.

I glared at him and kept walking. The hallway swam in front of me, and I think I passed out before I could get to Father Dom's office.

**Paul's POV:**

I should have followed Suze.

I really should have. Every nerve in my body was telling me to follow her, to help her get aspirin, or something, and what did I do?

Nothing. That's what. I let her walk away.

I win the world's worst boyfriend award, hands down.

I actually did leave the assembly early, telling the novice who was guarding the door that I felt sick and needed to see the nurse. I walked down the hall, looking for Suze, and saw her sprawled out on the floor.

With Rico Suave standing over her.

Anger flowed through my viens and I raced to Suze's side. "Suze, sweetie...Suze, wake up!" I said frantically. I heard her moan lightly, and I rolled her over onto her back and picked her up.

"Paul?" Suze whispered, her emerald eyes fluttering open slightly. De Silva was just standing there, not doing anything, just watching us.

I sent him a look of death and said, "Shh, Suze. I've got you. It's ok, I've got you." Suze looked like she was going to say something, but instead closed her eyes and leaned her head against my shoulder. I carried her down to Father Dom's office, and laid her down on the couch in there. Suze had fallen asleep.

"Mr. Slater, what's wrong with Susannah?" Father Dom asked worriedly. He glanced at me and De Silva, who'd followed me down here.

"It's all my fault." De Silva muttered.

"No shit!" I said, pissed beyond belief at him. "Do you have any idea how to control those powers?"

"Yes, actually, I do!" Fire blazed from De Silva's eyes. "It was an accident!"

"Someone want to explain to me what exactly happened?" Father Dom broke in.  
  
"Rico Suave here," I said, casting a dark look at him, "Is a shifter like Suze and I. He decided to wish for Suze last night while she was sleeping, and she was shifted to the shadowland. Now, she's passed out from the post- shifting headache."

Father Dom looked lost. I quickly explained the shifter stuff, and then he said, "It sounds like an honest mistake."

What the hell kind of reply is that?

"Mistake my arse." I said hotly. "My girlfriend is going to be in a hell of a lot of pain when she wakes up because he made her shift!"

"Why would she be in pain after she wakes up?" De Silva asked. "Won't sleeping make it go away?"

"Uh, no, genius." I spat at him. "Common thought though, that sleeping will make it go away. All she's doing is prolonging her pain. When she comes too, it's going to be hell getting over." I sat down next to Suze and pulled her sleeping head into my lap. Stroking her hair, I said to Father Dom, "Rico here had better control those powers."

**Jesse's POV:**

I woke up this morning, completely embarressed about seeing Susannah later at school. I cannot believe I'd wished for her in my sleep! It must have been my subconscious wishing for her...I hadn't meant to actually bring her to the shadowland! Or myself there, either!

I bumped into Susannah- or rather, her sleep walking form bumped into me- before morning assembly. She glared at me, and I turned to apologize, only to see Susannah on the floor, obviously passed out.

Before I could do anything, Slater showed up. He glared at me before leaning down to check on Susannah. Susannah moaned softly after Slater called her name.

I followed him to Father Dominic's office, and then got reamed by Slater for shifting Susannah, even though it was an accident.

"Look, Rico," Slater spat at me. "I don't care if it was an accident. To wish for someone, and them to actually come to you, means that the Wisher- you- had to use a lot of concentration and have a hell of a lot of desire for the wishee- Suze."

Oops. "Listen to me, and listen carefully. If I find out you've been shifting Suze- by _accident _or not- I will hurt you. Got me?" Slater said menacingly. I nodded.

I stole a glance at Susannah's sleeping form before leaving. On my way out, I heard Slater say, "Father Dom, I'm going to take Suze home. She can't go on with class like this." Father Dom agreed and let him take her home. I hoped Susannah would be Ok, and I vowed to not think about her. Deep down, I knew I would though.


	3. Waking Up To Battle Ghosts

**HappyDrummerGal:** Thanks for reviewing!  
  
**MuzacGurl:** Thanks for reviewing!! I hope you like this story as much as the other ones!

To all my happy reviewers: Thanks muchos for reviewing!!!!!!!!! I totally love it!!!!  
  
  
**Suze's POV:  
**I opened my eyes tenatively. Somehow, I was in my room. My head still hurt like hell, but a quick trip to my bathroom and a handful of Advil's later, I was going to be OK. I threw myself back into bed and pulled the blankets up to my chin. Sleep is good...  
  
I heard my door open a crack, and I twisted to see who it was. "Paul! What are you doing here?" I hadn't yet glanced at the clock. Hell, I was still in my clothes from school. "Wait, what day is it?"  
  
"It's Friday." Paul said, dropping my bookbag onto the floor. "I'm here to drop off your homework from school. You've been out since Tuesday morning." Damn, I'd say I sleep like the dead, except they don't sleep. "You had me worried sick." Paul added, sitting down next to me.  
  
"I'm sorry." I said quietly. "I didn't mean to pass out. I just did."  
  
Paul held me to him and said, "I know, I know. Just no more shifting."  
  
"Also not my fault." I reminded him. Stupid Jesse. Why did he have to wish for me? "Hey, what do my parents think happened? Like, why I've been sleeping so long?"  
  
"I told them there was a fire drill at school, and some idiot decided it would be funny to knock you down." Paul said. "And that you conked your head against the floor when you fell."  
  
"Pretty good." I nodded and wished I hadn't. Stupid headache that wouldn't go away! I glanced around my very messy room, and saw two bouquets of roses- one on my nightstand, and the other on my window seat. "Who are the roses from?" I asked slyly, knowing it had to have been him.  
  
Paul blushed. "The ones on your nightstand are from me." He said, gesturing towards the mixture of red, white, and yellow roses. All my favorites! "And the ones on the window seat," He continued, pointing to the solid red ones, "Are from Rico Suave." I heard the anger in his voice.  
  
"Impressive." I said, staring at Paul's roses. He saw at which ones I was looking at, and smiled. "How'd you know I liked yellow roses?" Red ones are pretty common for bouquets, and so are white. But yellow isn't so much. And I didn't remember telling him.  
  
"Now, don't get mad, ok?" Paul said, his blush deepening. "When we went out over the summer, I kind of poked around in your head. I didn't want to mess up on our date."  
  
I grinned. "I'm not mad. It's sweet, sort of." I said, giving him a mini hug. Then I pulled on normal clothes (changing in the bathroom), went downstairs with Paul, and got leftover steak fajitas. The fact that there were leftover fajitas meant Andy had to have made extra and set back a plate for me. I have such a cool stepdad!  
  
My stepbrothers...well, their ok. Really.  
  
Paul and I ate, while discussing school events. Apparently, I had been nominated for Vice President again- by CeeCee, seconded by Adam- but no one ran against me, and I'd won. I was washing our plates when the phone rang.  
  
"Hello?" I picked up.  
  
"Susannah! Thank God!" Father Dom's voice sounded panicky. It's way funny when priests say "Thank God!"  
  
"Yo, Father D. What's wrong?" I asked.  
  
"Well, we need your help at the mission! You, and Mr. Slater, if you can track him down!" Father D started rambling, and I said, "Father Dom, we'll be there ASAP. But rambling is my specialty, so you need to slow down!"  
  
Then the line went dead. "Uh, Paul? We gotta hightail it to the mission, asap." I explained Father Dom's weirdness, and locked my bedroom door. Brad's party was tonight, and there was no way in hell some horny couple was going to get it on in MY bed. Paul grabbed his car keys and led me to his BMW. When Paul and I got to the mission, it looked like a bomb had gone off. Chunks of the school were missing, and I saw immediately why.  
  
Ever seen that episode of "Charmed" where the Witch Doctor gets rid of the ghost residue? Yeah, imagine that residue, multiply by about 100, and you've got our ghost. I dived into what used to be Father Dom's office, Paul on top of me, screaming, "Stay down, Suze!"  
  
Well duh. He didn't actually think I was going to go up against that thing, did he?  
  
I spied Father Dom and Jesse a few feet away, behind a charred piece of what used to be the door. "Father D, what the hell happened?" I yelled over the roar of the ghost and falling building.  
  
"I don't know! It just showed up, and started blowing the school to smithereens!"  
  
Well, that doesn't help me. "Is anyone else in the building?" Paul yelled.  
  
"Just us!" Jesse yelled out. I was still pissed at him.  
  
"SO WHAT THE HELL DO WE DO?" I yelled as a huge chunk of the adobe ceiling decided to fall about a foot away from my head.  
  
Everyone looked around blankly.


	4. Schoolyard Battles

**Pens In Potatoes:** I friggin' love your name! OMG!!! Anyways, Never fear chapter four is here!!! I read Chapter five of Summer Of Depp- OMG! It woulnd't let me review, but I loved it! You must continue soon!!  
  
  
  
**Suze's POV:  
**So basically, we were screwed.  
  
Yeah. Screwed. The monster thing cornered us in this little closet thing in Father Dom's office. Father D had passed out from the stress, I suppose, and it was Paul, Jesse, and myself. Up against this beast from hell.  
  
Yeah, I'll pass thank you very much.  
  
"If we knew what it wanted, then maybe we could mediate it." Jesse said as a loud thump crashed against the door. The monster found our hiding place. "But I can't get a lock on its mind."  
  
"I can't either." Paul said. "What about you, Suze?"  
  
"You want me to read that thing's mind? I can't even read YOUR mind!" I said frantically, yelping as the door started to splinter.  
  
"Susannah, just focus on it." Jesse said. "Don't concentrate on anything but that thing." I just glared at him. I was still pissed about the whole sleeping for three and a half days thing. The door broke open and I felt Paul grab me and yank me to safety.  
  
"Baby, just try!" Paul yelled. He was laying over me. I pulled my head up and concentrated on the monster. I really hoped I wasn't reading his thoughts....  
  
_Must...kill...mediators...must kill humans...MUST KILL!!!_  
  
"Oh shit!" I squealed. Not just from what I'd heard, but from the fact that a piece of ceiling decided to come crashing down near us.  
  
"Did you get anything?" Jesse yelled from across the room. Paul was still on top of me.  
  
"Yeah!" I yelled over the howling of exploding school. "It ain't good, guys."  
  
"Suze, what did you hear?" Paul asked, leaning down and whispering in my ear.  
  
"It's going to kill us! It won't stop until everything is dead!" I screamed. Father Dom's office was now reduced to rubble, and the monster turned on us.  
  
"Count of three, RUN!" Paul said getting off of me. "One...two...THREE!"  
  
I ran. I ran down the hall towards what used to be the auditorium. I heard Paul and Jesse behind me. We locked the doors and ran towards the other end of it, knowing that somehow we had to kill this thing before it killed us.  
  
And I was pretty sure it had already killed Father Dom. "Susannah, Paul, we have to pool our powers." Jesse said through gasping breaths. "We have to use our mind control on that thing and make it stop."  
  
"One problem, Jesse." I said. "I don't know how to do mind control!"  
  
Seriously. It sucks being a novice. "Suze, it's ok." Paul said, trying to calm me down. I tend to get hysterical when big monsters attack. "Besides, mind control on that thing is next to impossible. We'd have to touch it, and if anyone touches that thing, they will probably die."  
  
Ok, there's that whole death thing again...  
  
**Paul's POV:  
**"Suze, it's ok." I said soothingly, trying not to let Suze get hysterical. "Besides, mind control on that thing is next to impossible. We'd have to touch it, and if anyone touches that thing, they will probably die." Somehow, I don't think this helped her get unhysterical.  
  
Jesse looked doubtful. "Are you sure? I mean, it can't be that powerful-"  
  
"Did you not see how it was destroying everything?" I said hotly. "Bolts of electricity from each hand. That monster is pure energy."  
  
De Silva and Suze now wore identical looks of fear. I expected it from Suze, but from De Silva? Come on, man, be a man! Not that I'm all macho and shit, but at least I wasn't cowering behind old screnery from the Drama club. "P-pure energy?" Suze whispered, dropping her head in her hands.  
  
"Yeah. And right now, I'm not entirely sure how we're going to kill it before it kills us." I said, not bothering to mask my own fear.  
  
**Jesse's POV:**  
I sat in disbelief. Pure energy? I knew it had to be partially energy, from the way it had destroyed the school, but pure? That makes it next to impossible to kill. Susannah was, it was safe to say, freaking out over this.  
  
Suddenly, Susannah jerked her head up and stared at Paul. They seemed to be having a conversation with their minds, something quite infuriating when there are others in the room. I focused on Slater's thoughts and heard him trying to convince Susannah that we had to get out of the building.  
  
Abandon the building? Let that thing roam free? Susannah seemed to be disagreeing with him, the good samaritan coming out in her. "Suze, we gotta get out, and warn everyone."  
  
"We can't just leave the school!" I said, breaking up their conversation. Slater glared at me, and Susannah said, "Were you eavesdropping?"  
  
"What did you expect me to do?" I snapped. "You can't have a conversation with your minds when our lives are at risk!"  
  
Susannah started to reply, but just then the auditorium doors flew at us. The wind started howling, and bits of debris fell over us. Susannah was the only one of us visible to that thing, it seemed.  
  
She screamed as a bolt of electricity came hurtling towards her...Paul and I both dived in an attempt to drag her away...  
  
**Suze's POV:  
**I started to reply to Jesse that it was a PRIVATE conversation, but the auditorium doors flew at us. It was like a tornado was trapped in the room, picking up rows of seats and hurtling them towards us. Paul was now hidden behind a piece of scenery. The same piece that had been hiding me.  
  
I tried to scramble away, but the monster spotted me. I saw this purplish bolt of electricity near me, and then felt two bodies on top of me, dragging me away. I tried to run, but it's kind of hard to do when someone has picked you up and carried you away.  
  
Not the monster. Paul. Paul was carrying me to safety. I tried to tell him I could walk just fine, but when he set me down in the graveyard, I saw that I was in fact, not fine.  
  
Unless loss of blood now qualifies as fine. 


	5. Recovering and Hospital Battles

**Suze's POV:**  
"Suze! Open your eyes, Suze! Sweetie, open your eyes!" Paul's voice sounded so frantic, so far away...I struggled to open my eyes, very aware of the gushing blood coming from the hole in my arm.  
  
Yes, HOLE. As in, a chunk of skin got sliced away from that damn electric bolt. I glanced at my arm, and then at Paul, who was busily trying to stop the blood. He'd torn off part of his shirt, and wrapped it around my gaping wound, trying to stop the flow of blood. "Suze, no matter what, stay awake!" Paul said.  
  
"I will." I spilled out. I didn't want to go to sleep for anything, not when the guys would need me. Paul looked at my wound and said, "Ok. The bleeding's stopped. Can you sit up?"  
  
"I think so." I tried to sit up. I had been laying behind a mausoleum, and as I sat up, I tried not to fall backwards. I failed somewhat though. I mean, give a girl a break! I was woozy from loss of blood! I managed to stand up after a few minutes, and stared at what used to be our school.  
  
Who knew charred adobe brick smelled so awful?  
  
"Alright, so let's get back in there and kick monster butt." I said, trying to walk back towards the building. Paul had taken ahold of my hand- the one not attaching to my injured arm- and pulled me back towards him. "I think not, Suze."  
  
"Uh! Why not? Big scary monster just took a hole out of me- It's war!" I said, putting on a brave fierce look.  
  
"Susannah, it's suicide to go in there." Jesse said. "That thing will kill anything in its path, and almost did so with you."  
  
"It takes more than pure energy to get rid of me." I said toughly. Granted, I'd just slept for three and a half days over a HEADACHE, but whatever.  
  
"Suze, for once, De Silva and I are in agreement." Paul said, tightening his grip on me. "You are not going in there. Got me?"  
  
I pouted for a little bit. "Fine. Whatever."  
  
"Good." Paul said. "Now, you don't have your license, right?" I shook my head sadly. I'm probably the only teenager in Carmel who doesn't have their license. Our friends at the Department of Motor Vehicles seem to think I'm a danger to the road. Totally not my fault that a ghost popped up when I took the test the first time!  
  
"Ok," Paul continued. I could see him forming a plan. I felt myself getting slightly dizzy, but I refused to give in to it. "Suze, we're going to take you to the hospital. Then De Silva and I are going to come back and fight this thing."  
  
"Ok. I'm in complete agreement with your plan, I really am." I said, trying to ignore the fact that there were now about five Pauls standing in front of me. "Except for one thing."  
  
"And that would be?" Jesse asked.  
  
"You two are NOT coming back." I said. Now there were five of each of them spinning around in front of me. "Stop moving you guys!" I closed my eyes to steady my vision.  
  
"Suze, we're not moving." Paul said gently. He and Jesse each took a hand and led me to the car, where I collapsed in the back seat. Paul did ninety to the hospital, and carried me into the ER because he didn't want me to walk if I was dizzy.  
  
The emergency room doctors looked at us like we were crazy when we told them what had happened. We went with an edited version of the truth- we went to school, and found a big energy cloud destroying everything.  
  
Yeah, I got more than one "She's escaped from the loony bin" look. I didn't care. They told me I wouldn't need a transfusion, but I was forced to stay in the hospital overnight for observation.  
  
I made Paul stay with me in my hospital room. He and Jesse kept trying to leave, and I finally told them if they went back to school, I wouldn't speak to either of them again. And Paul could kiss our relationship good bye.  
  
That got him to stop leaving at least.  
  
Jesse, however, didn't seem to give a shit. He walked out, claiming he was going to find a phone to call my house and tell my stepbrothers what happened.  
  
Right. Whatever. I didn't care. Paul stayed. My boyfriend stayed. What did I care if some guy I didn't even like left?  
  
I didn't care if he left. Let him get killed. I drifted off into sleep with Paul sitting next to my bed, holding my hand.  
  
  
"WILL YOU GET OUT OF HERE?!" I heard someone scream. "You know, for someone who claims to care about Suze, all you seem to be doing is hurting her!"  
  
I blinked open my eyes. Paul and Jesse were standing at the foot of my bed, arguing over something- from the sounds of it, me. "I do care about her! Why do you think I called her house? Why do you think I've been trying to get her to wake up?"  
  
"You can't make her wake up by picking at her brain!"  
  
"Gentleman, if you don't lower your voices, I'll have to escort you both out of here." I heard a female voice said, presumably a nurse.  
  
"I can't leave. I'm all she's got right now." Paul said, dropping his voice.  
  
"No, she has me as well!" Jesse said. I groaned and opened my eyes a little more. "Suze?" Paul moved to the side of my bed and took my hand in his. "Are you up?"  
  
"Yeah." My mouth was insanely dry. "Any water near here?" Paul grinned and passed me a cup of water. "Much better." I said, taking a sip.  
  
"Now, what the hell was with the screaming?" I said, throwing looks at both parties.  
  
"Sorry. Did we wake you?" Jesse asked, going to the other side of my bed.  
  
"What do you think?" I said. "What do you mean, picking at my brain?"  
  
Paul gave Jesse a dirty look and said, "He was trying to make you wake up by giving you a nightmare."  
  
"Prick." I glared at Jesse, who turned away sheepish. "Well, you had to wake up!"  
  
"Why can't you let me sleep? Sleep is probably a good thing!" I exclaimed. No one answered me, so I continued with, "What day is it, and what time is it?"  
  
"It's either really early or really late, depending on how you look at it." Paul said. "Four in the morning, meaning it's Saturday."  
  
Damnation. "Alright, so when do I get out of here? Tomrrow morning? Does my mom know?"  
  
"Suze!" I heard Jake yell as he entered the room. "What the hell happened?"  
  
We gave him a run down of what had happened. "I can't believe you abandoned a party to come check on little old me." I chided him.  
  
"Family before booze." Sleepy said. "Now go back to sleep. I'll call mom and dad, and get them here A.S.A.P., aight?"  
  
"Aight." Jake looked confused for a minute. "Do we hug or something?"  
  
"Nah, we're too bad-ass to hug." I said. "You go, make sure Brad doesn't trash the place, and Paul will stay here with me."  
  
After Jake left, the nurse came in and gave me a painkiller. Then she tried to make the guys leave, but I put up a big fuss and she let Paul stay. Paul climbed in next to me and wrapped me in his arms. "You know, when they release you, you're not going to help us beat the monster." Paul said.  
  
"Yeah, and you know when they release me, we're calling in paranormal experts." I replied.  
  
Paul laughed at that. For a minute, everything was perfect because Paul was holding me, and I felt like nothing could go wrong.  
  
A huge explosion shattered not only part of the hospital, but also my safety net. 


	6. The Beach

**Alexis De Silva:** Thanks for reviewing!  
  
**PoeticKiss:** Nopes. No one knows how to fight the big bad monster guy made completely out of electricity...It's ok though. All will be fine.  
  
**Muzacgurl:** Thanks for reviewing! Regarding the scene in haunted: OF COURSE you throw your arm around his neck and kiss back! I mean, hot guy plus a bed=make out. DUH! lol.  
  
**Sweet-Angel-Star:** Thanks for reviewing MiniMediator!  
  
**Pens in Potatoes:** Yeah, the site was down, it wouldn't let me review. Now that it's working, I plan on reviewing though.  
  
**Alda Rethe:** Yeah, Jesse was trying to "help" by waking Suze up with a nightmare. His heart's in the right, it's his head that needs some fixing, I think...Oh well. He'll be good this chapter.  
  
**Clavel:** Thanks for reviewing MiniMediator!  
  
**Ahhhh:** Yeah, I know. I lost my flow for MiniMediator, so while it's complete, it's not complete. When I get some inspiration, the ending's gonna change.  
  
  
**Paul's POV:  
**Oh shit.  
  
Thank God Suze wasn't hooked up to any machines. It was easier to get her out of there after the explosion. I handed Suze her shoes and we ran out into the hallway, where chaos ensued. Doctors and nurses were running around, not knowing what to do. Patients were moving towards the elevaters, and De Silva came running down towards us.  
  
"It's that thing." He said in a hushed tone. _Well, no shit._ "It followed us here, or something."  
  
"What kills energy?" Suze voiced. "I mean, I know water and energy don't mix, but what else?"  
  
I racked my brain for something, but couldn't come up with anything. But Suze gave me an idea...  
  
"What about the ocean?" De Silva asked. I snapped up. He had this glint in his eye that said he'd gotten into my head and voiced my plan to lure the thing to the ocean before I could. Damn him! "We just get it to go to the ocean, and then that would kill it, right?"  
  
I nodded, and Suze looked at him like he was a genius. _Yeah, a genius thief!_ "Ok, so to the ocean we go!"  
  
  
  
"I DON'T THINK THIS IS WORKING!" Suze yelled as we sped down the highway. She was right. The thing wasn't coming after us, even after we'd gotten it's attention. I sped up, weaving between a big rig truck and a minivan. De Silva was in the back seat, Suze was next to me, and I knew we had to do something to get that thing's attention. I had to do something, for Suze. I mean, let's face it, I wasn't winning any boyfriend-of-the-year awards lately. Instead of protect her from that monster, she ended up in the hospital with a hole in her arm. And, even though she's gonna be fine, I still feel guilty as hell.  
  
_Just drive, Paul. Please, just drive!_ I swore I heard Suze actually voice, sounding so desparate, pleading almost, but a glance at her worried face told me she'd just thought it really hard.  
  
_"I'm driving Suze."_ I sent this thought to her, and she snapped her head up at me. I sent another thought. _"Don't worry. I've got you, I'll protect you."  
_  
She nodded and stared straight ahead.  
  
**Suze's POV:  
**Distracting monsters sucks. Seriously. Jesse, Paul, and I threw things at it to get it to follow us, and nothing worked! He followed us a little bit, but not to the ocean. There was too much to destroy! Like buildings and people and all that good stuff.  
  
We raced down the highway, doing ninety at least. I begged Paul to drive, just drive, silently, and he send me a thought. _"I'm driving Suze. Don't worry. I've got you, I'll protect you."  
_  
I totally believed that everything would be OK. I really did. Just goes to show how naive teenage girls can be.  
  
Jesse was very little help, surprisingly. He seemed like a take-charge kind of guy. But with the exception of one idea, he's done diddly squat.  
  
Oh well. We'll all die together. Paul slowed down, getting his BMW to the exit for the beach. We parked, and ran to a small cave set off towards the highway. We sat against the back wall, Paul on one side of me, Jesse on the other, all of us breathing hard.  
  
"So, I guess we wait until it gets here?" I asked, drawing my knees up to my chest. I realized I was wearing a hospital gown, and shivered.  
  
Paul noticed and handed me his jacket. I pulled it on gratefully. "I think I have a blanket in the truck of my car." He said. "Do you want that, too?" He pulled my hand into his and said, "Jesus, you're cold as ice. De Silva, stay here, make sure she doesn't pass out. I'm getting the blanket."  
  
Before I could protest, Paul was out, getting the blanket. Jesse watched me like a hawk, refusing to let me shut my eyes. "Susannah, I don't think I've properly apologized for the Shadowland incident."  
  
My teeth clattered as I said, "It's ok. Really." Jesus, for California, it's freaking COLD!  
  
"I really didn't mean to, querida." Jesse said, sounding all apologetic and stuff.  
  
"It's fine!" I snapped at him. "Seriously. Let's fight this thing, then you can apologize all you want for the Shadowland fiasco."  
  
"I'd hardly call it a fiasco."  
  
"Don't argue with me, De Silva!" I said, getting up carefully and moving to another wall. Paul came in a few minutes later, carrying a big thick blanket. He didn't question why I'd moved, just sat down and wrapped me up.  
  
"So, you always have a blanket in your car?" I asked through still- chattering teeth. Paul grinned and said, "Never know when or why you'll need one." I laughed weakly.  
  
We all sat in silence for a few minutes, each of us in our own little worlds. At least, I was. My thoughts kept drifting from "Why the hell is California so friggin' COLD?" to "I wish life were normal. I wish it was just Paul and me, hanging out somewhere." to "I wonder what those two are thinking?"  
  
Jesse and Paul kept giving each other death stares. Unfortunately, with my "I wonder what those two are thinking?" thought, I heard their thougts. Well, arguement.  
  
Over me.  
  
_"Stop thinking about her."_ Paul thought. _"That's all I ask."  
_  
_"Well, how am I supposed to do that?"_ Jesse thought, sounding exasperated.  
  
_"Alright, reasoning doesn't work. How about force?"_ Paul thought back. _"Stop thinking about her, or I'll hurt you."_ To emphasize his point, Paul's hands- ones that had been around me, stroking my hair- suddenly balled up. I was now lying with my head in his lap, fighting to stay awake. See, it was hard now, because I was all warm and cozy finally.  
  
Listening to them kept me up though. I wondered why Jesse would be thinking of me, and what context he was thinking about me in. That part was somewhat obvious, seeing as Paul was using a very jealous tone. _"Just stop thinking about my girlfirend when you're around me or her. Got it?"_  
  
Jesse thought something in Spanish- I'm going to assume it was bad, from the weird tone he used- and then switched back to English. _"You think I'm trying to think about her? I only met Susannah a few days ago! I've been doing everything in my power to not think of her!"_  
  
Power...power is weird...It can mean more than one thing...It can be good, it can be evil...It'll probably kill us...  
  
My eyes drifted shut and I continued to listen to the guys. They kept up their arguing until a loud crash alerted us. Jesse ran out side, follwed by Paul, who told me to stay put since I was in no condition to fight.  
  
Suze Simon does _not_ lay around, people. You know it, I know it, the monsters know it. I may have been feeling like shit, but that was no excuse for me to lay around while the guys had fun beating people up.  
  
So I tried to stand. It didn't really work, and I fell over, smacking my head on the ground...  
  
Blackness... 


	7. The End

**Jesse's POV:**  
I watched Susannah rest peacefully, her head in Paul's lap. Her emerald eyes drifted shut, but she was still somewhat awake. All of us were silent- on the outside at least- sitting in that cave. I felt a pang of jealousy pass over me, and I wished that I were the one Susannah rested on. Not him.  
  
_Stop thinking of her, Jesse!_ I scolded myself. _She's not yours to think about!  
_  
_And she never will be._ Paul's voice broke into my thoughts. I looked at him. His eyes blazed. _Get it through your head, De Silva. Suze is MY girlfriend. She's not into you._  
  
_I can see that,_ I thought at him. _After all, it's not me she's curled up on._  
  
_Any other guy would stay away from her after I told them to._ Paul thought at me. _Why the hell are you so different?  
_  
_What are you asking me to do? I can't help that I have feelings for your girlfriend. I wish I didn't.  
_  
_Stop thinking about her. That's all I ask.  
_  
_How am I supposed to do that? She's all I think about!_  
  
Then Paul started to use threats. _"Just stop thinking about my girlfirend when you're around me or her. Got it?"  
_  
Yeah. I'll just get right on that.  
  
I switched my thoughts to Spanish, cursing the fact that Paul had met Susannah first. We argued until a loud crash alerted us, and woke Susannah, who'd begun to fall asleep.  
  
I raced outside, Paul behind me a few seconds later. I saw that monster, walking- in a sense- down the highway. Thank God it was only dawn, and there weren't many people out. I heard Susannah start to walk, but then she stopped, apparently deciding it wasn't worth it to move again.  
  
Good. I didn't want such a querida to get hurt.  
  
Oh shit. I didn't just think of Susannah as a querida, did I? I hope not...Slater would kill me.  
  
If that monster didn't beat him to it, of course.  
  
**Paul's POV:  
**Ok, Suze had better stay put. I just heard the sound of someone falling, and I pray it wasn't her, trying to get up. I saw the monster come closer, and hoped we could get it into the ocean. I hoped the ocean would kill it...  
  
"How do we lure it to the ocean?!" I yelled. The wind had picked up, and it was like yelling through a tornado.  
  
"I don't know!" De Silva looked lost. "But with this wind, we may not have to! Look at the water!"  
  
I looked at the usually calm ocean water. There was a funnel forming about 3 miles out, and coming towards us. We dived out of the way, only to see the funnel follow us.  
  
"He's controlling it!" I yelled over the roar of wind and water. "Move to behind it!"  
  
I ran as fast as I could to get behind that thing. De Silva rounded on it, to the other side, and we watched as the funnel of water crashed down, drowning not only the monster but most of the beach as well.  
  
Including the cave we had hid out in.  
  
That Suze was still in.  
  
(A/N: If I were mean, I'd probably stop here and make you sweat. But I don't want to do that to you guys.)  
  
_Shit, please be ok, please be ok...  
_  
I ran to the cave, wading through ankle-deep water. I entered the cave to see Suze had tried to get up and had fallen- probably tripped over the blanket- and was now lying, unconscious in the water.  
  
Soaked to the bone.

I picked her up and carried her to dry land. I laid her down in the early morning sunlight, peeling the thick blanket off of her form so she could dry off. De Silva was just standing there, as usual. I couldn't worry about him though...  
  
I put my index and middle finger together, checking for a pulse. Any pulse, even a faint one...  
  
Slowly, but surely...there it was...pounding under my fingers.  
  
I bent down and started to perform CPR. Definitely something good to know, seeing as ghosts can be evil and cut off your air supply. Or the air supplys of innocent people.  
  
After a few heartwrenching minutes, Suze suddenly bolted upright, coughing up water and shaking. I patted her back and when she was calmed, I pulled her into the tightest hug of her life. I felt her arms cling to me, as if begging me not to leave.  
  
As if I would.  
  
**Suze's POV:  
**I awoke on dry land, coughing up water. Paul was leaning over me, this worried look on his face. I was pulled into a tight hug, and clung to Paul for dear life. We walked to his car, and I looked around. I didn't see Jesse- not that it really mattered, I just wanted to see if he was OK.  
  
Paul told me how they killed the monster on the drive to the hospital. Hopefully, the hospital was still standing...  
  
Most of it was. I mean, parts had collapsed, but almost everyone was alright. I got settled into my room again, completely dry and wearing new clothes. Paul laid next to me, and we started going over the past events.  
  
"What I really want to know," I said, "Is why Jesse was still at school that late. I mean, it was what? 4, 4:30? Why would he stick around?"  
  
"I don't know. Something to check into though." Paul said quietly, picking up my hand and running his fingers over my fingertips. I sighed and closed my eyes. It feels like all I've been doing is sleeping lately, but I didn't really care. I'd be fine by Monday.  
  
Paul stayed with me the whole weekend. My mom showed up later Saturday afternoon, and was shocked when we told her the edited version of the truth. A quick visit to Father Dom's room- who was fine, just suffering from a concussion and a couple broken ribs- got her to believe us. Andy didn't come to visit because they had stopped off at home first, having not gotten Jake's message until they had turned into the driveway practically.  
  
He just about had a coronary when he saw the house! I haven't seen it, but I heard it was bad. The china cabinet got knocked over (A/N: It was destiny that that cabinet get knocked over)...To put it simply, the house was TRASHED. Mom said the only rooms still in decent shape were mine and David's. David had gone to his friend's house with Max and his computer, and had locked his door as well. His room suffered no damage while mine...  
  
My door had been broken down.  
  
BY ADAM MCTAVISH!  
  
Adam showed up to visit me Sunday, and I glared at him. "What in God's name made you break down my door?"  
  
"CeeCee and I got hammered and confessed our feelings for eachother." Well, alright then.  
  
Wait..."PLEASE tell me you didn't go near my bed!" Ew, ew, ew...If he says yes, I'm moving in with Paul.  
  
Adam shook his head furiously. "No, we didn't do that! We just made out for awhile. On your daybed, not your actual bed."  
  
I glared at him some more. Paul had disappeared for a minute, and I took the opportunity to ask Adam if he'd seen Jesse at all. "Uh, no." Adam said, clearly relieved I hadn't hit him for defiling my room. "But I can look for him, if you want."  
  
I shook my head. "No. If you see him though, tell him I want to talk to him." Paul came in a minute later, and told me that I would be able to leave in a few minutes. My mom had run out to get me clothes and when she returned with them, I could go.  
  
About an hour later, I was dressed and walking out to mom's car. Paul had kissed me and said he'd see me first thing the next morning at school. Yes, even though our school had been destroyed, classes were still scheduled as normal.  
  
We were just being split into different schools. Students with last names A-L were going to Carmel High. M-Z were going to Robert Louis Stevenson.  
  
Faboulous. Paul and I were together, and Jesse was at Carmel High. Thank God, maybe now he could stop thinking about me.  
  
Life went on as normal. It was good. Very good.


	8. The Mission's Hot Babe

**Jesse's POV:**  
_I just got out of this place, and now I'm back._ I thought as I entered RLS on Monday morning. Several of my friends voiced what I'd been thinking and asked if I'd seen the "hot babe Mission Academy had been housing."  
  
I asked which one. In my mind, I'd only seen one hot babe, and she had been taken. Something I knew all too well...  
  
Eric Candler, one of my best friends, confirmed who everyone was talking about. "Name's Sue or something. Every guy I've talked to who's seen her has wanted a piece, if you know what I'm- OW! De Silva, what the fuck was that for?" He screamed as anger overtook me and I landed a punch on Eric's nose.  
  
No one talks about Susannah that way!  
  
I walked away, down to the office to get my schedule. They gave me my old schedule and locker, and asked if I'd mind sharing with a Mission kid. I said, sure, no problem, and the secretary- Ms. Thomas- said, "Great! You'll be rooming with Paul Slater."  
  
Damn.  
  
This cannot be good.  
  
I trudged down to my locker and saw that Slater was already there. He and Susannah were talking, heads bent close together, and looking very intimate. I put on a fake smile and said, "Excuse me, you're blocking the locker door."  
  
"De Silva? What the hell are you doing here?" Slater asked. Susannah looked at me, then at him, and I saw her tighten her grip on his hand. A hand that had been attempting to ball up in a fist, it looked like.  
  
"Since the Mission's destroyed, I opted to come back here, instead of go to Carmel High." I said throwing books and binders I didn't need into the locker. "Made more sense."  
  
Slater narrowed his eyes at me. Susannah saw this and hastily said, "Paul, come on, let's go. We'll be late for class."  
  
Slater kept his eyes narrowed, being dragged by Susannah down the hall to their class. I grimaced, dropping my fake smile, as I realized that they had the same first hour as I did.  
  
**Suze's POV:**  
I live to amuse God, it seems.  
  
It's not enough that my school is destroyed. It's not enough that I now have to transfer to RLS, alone, while my brothers go to Carmel High, with Kelly and Debbie and a few others who decided to go there as well, for some reason or another. It's not enough that I've had to stop Paul from breaking the noses of about five guys- all because, apparently, I'm a hot babe and they all want me.  
  
No. As if all that isn't enough, Jesse De Silva has to come to RLS as well. For the most part, you could choose where to go- but if you didn't choose, they gave you a school. De Silva was supposed to be at Carmel High.  
  
Nope. He's at RLS. With me and Paul. Great. Just great. Plus, those two are sharing a locker. I dragged Paul to our first hour class- Spanish, which I had been reluctant to take, but forced into it by CeeCee and Adam- and sat him down in a desk to calm down. I sat next to him and started the "you're-not-going-to-fight-because-it-won't-help" speech.  
  
Paul replied with the "you're-my-girlfriend-and-I'm-going-to-defend-you- when-people-say-shit" speech, to which I replied, "Paul, I'm a big girl, I can handle it myself!"  
  
He gave me a look, and I glared back. Finally, his face broke out in a grin and he said, "Oh, alright. I will not fight."  
  
I smiled and said, "Thank you!" We switched conversations to what I was doing this weekend, because Paul's parents wanted to take him and me out on their YACHT. Yes, YACHT. As in, a REALLY REALLY big boat. I was floored, but said, "I'd love to. Definitly." and kissed him. Not a full out lip lock, just a peck on the cheek.  
  
But Jesse choose that momoent to walk in and give me- or maybe it was Paul?- the evil eye before sitting down for class to start.  
  
Now, I don't speak Spanish fluently. I speak it enough to pass the class, so I was pretty lost when Jesse and Paul started argueing in Spanish.  
  
Yes. Paul speaks it really well, something I didn't know. Jesse said something in response to the teacher's question that Paul didn't like, and the next thing I know they're argueing mentally. In friggin' SPANISH! OY!  
  
After class, I dragged Paul down to our next class- Drama, in the auditorium, and sat him down. "Translate last hour for me, please?" I said.  
  
Paul looked away, somewhat guiltily. "Paul." I said in a warning tone. His guilty look increased. "Ok, but if you don't tell me, I'll just get Jesse to."  
  
Paul glared before relenting. "Fine, but you aren't going to like it."  
  
"I could tell."  
  
"He decided to inform me of the fact that most the guys in this school- including him- want a piece of you." Paul said angrily. "Something I already knew and told him as much. Then he's like, 'If I were you, I'd be worried.' and I said 'Well, good thing you aren't me, because I trust Suze with my life'- I do, by the way- and then he started getting all pissed and said 'But does she trust you with hers?' and then implied all these things and I got pissed even more and-" I silenced him with a finger to the lips.  
  
Wow. Who knew little old me could cause so much trouble? "Paul, I trust you with my life." I spoke slowly, and emphasized each word because I could tell that was somewhat bothering him. "And anything he says about me in THAT sense isn't true. You are the only guy I want to do anything with." Paul gave me his rock-star smile and I leaned in and kissed him.  
  
I hoped the school got fixed soon! Until then, life at RLS was NOT going to be fun.  
  
  
Ok, Ok, I know this chapter kind of sucked. I just wanted to write something for now...LONGER CHAPTER NINE, I PROMISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	9. What Was I Thinking?

**Suze's POV:  
**  
School seemed longer that day. It could have been because several guys apparently didn't get the memo that I'm taken, and decided to try their luck on asking me out. This resulted in Paul pulling the jealous-boyfriend act (which was getting _real_ old, _real_ fast) and me calmly telling the unlucky guy to back off before he had to go through a testical retrieval process. Men! Grrr!!!  
  
Plus, our friend- and I use the term loosly- Jesse wasn't helping. Well, he wasn't helping US. He was helping the guys in RLS by telling them Paul was my "gay guy friend" and he was in denial by telling everyone he was dating me.  
  
Which of course would result in an ass-kicking when I saw him. Thank God Paul didn't hear that bit or there would be a murder on our hands. Namely, Jesse's.  
  
But whatever.  
  
I kept those two apart for as long as possible. For two weeks, they had only seen each other outside of classes twice- both times were somewhat my fault, but mostly the fault of this new ghost who'd decided to invade our lives.  
  
Lindsey Powers, dead at the tender (haha) age of 17 as a result of a mosh- pit accident, came to my room during one of Paul and I's shifter lessons. Well, shifter lesson/date, considering we spent more time making-out than we did actually practicing shifting or anything shifting-related. And since appearing there, HAS NOT LEFT MY SIDE!  
  
Seriously! First, I got kind of pissed, and was like, "Look, you need to move on. Or move out. Something. Just bug off for a bit. Please?"  
  
Then she responded by slamming my head against the brick walls of the school.  
  
Um, yeah, OW! I called for Paul in my throbbing head, who appeared seconds later, thankfully, and pulled her off of me. Thank God most of the school was empty and we didn't have to explain a lot. He was walking me to his car when we ran into Jesse. Apparently, Lindsey had been annoying the shit out of him as well, and had told him what I'd said.  
  
The second time was a bit more out in the open. Like, in the middle of class out in the open. Lindsey decided it was a good idea to pick up a couple of books, float them to the ceiling, and drop them on my head.  
  
All I wanna know is what ghosts- and humans- have against my head. Seriously! Why do they always aim for my skull? Do I have a sign posted that says, "Drop heavy object here?" with an arrow pointing to my head?  
  
Thankfully, it was the last five minutes or so of class, and only a few people around me saw. Still hurt like hell!  
  
So anyways, I managed to keep Paul and Jesse away from each other, except for those two times. I hadn't really spoken to Jesse since school started at RLS, unless it was class or mediator related. Totally cool by me, since he came off as semi-mean, what with the wishing for me thing, and battling the energy ghost, and telling everyone Paul was gay, when he most certainly IS NOT! Point is, I hadn't really talked to Jesse about anything unschool or mediator related, and I liked it.  
  
Until he joined me on my walk home one Friday.  
  
Why was I walking, instead of Paul driving me? Well, easy- Paul had to go to the doctor with his grandpa, and left early at one o'clock. So I walked.  
  
It wasn't a far walk, but it wasn't easy either. A mile and a half, mostly uphill. And halfway home, Jesse materializes next to me.  
  
"Jesus Christ, Jesse! What's that for?" I said, after recovering from jumping a mile in the air and the shock of it.  
  
"Sorry, Susannah." Jesse said, not looking sorry at all.  
  
"I've told you a million and one times, call me Suze!" I snapped, resuming my walk.  
  
Jesse just shook his head and started walking next to me. "So, have fun at school?"  
  
I glared at Jesse. "You were there, you think it was fun?"  
  
Jesse laughed at that. He had a rich, booming-type laugh, that sent little shivers down to my toes. I shrugged and walked faster. "So, Suannah," I resisted the urge to strangle him, "Where's the 'boyfriend'?" Jesse asked, using quotes around the word boyfriend.  
  
"He had stuff to do." I said.  
  
"Ah...stuff, or sluts?" Jesse asked, a wicked gleam in his unnaturally brown eyes.  
  
I stopped. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Just that I've heard things about Slater."  
  
"Right." I shook my head and kept walking. Jesse stayed put and called out, "You want to know her name?"  
  
I stopped, turned, and walked back to Jesse. "You are a lying piece of sh- " I started to say, before he leaned in and kissed me.  
  
It was good, yes, but not as a good as Paul's. I pushed him away after a few seconds and hissed, "What the hell were you thinking?"  
  
"I could ask you the same thing." I heard from behind me. I turned and saw Paul standing there, his BMW parked on the edge of the street.  
  
"Paul! Hey, what's up?" I said.  
  
"Suze, don't give me that." Paul said. He looked hurt. "What were you thinking?"  
  
Uh, excuse me? "Paul, _he_ kissed _me_. _I _pushed him away. What do you mean, _what was I thinking_?"  
  
"Suze, don't lie to me. I know you're into him, so why don't you just admit it?"  
  
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL?!" I shrieked. "Paul, I'm NOT into him!" But my cries fell on deaf ears, because Paul got into his car and drove off.  
  
I glared at Jesse before hitting him. Then I walked- well, ran- home, tears falling down my cheeks.  
  
  
  
WARNING: CHAPTER 10 WILL BE THE LAST CHAPTER!!! And I'm sorry this is so short!!! 


	10. THE END

Wow...Ok, when I opened my email, I was kinda afraid of this review I got. Let me post it (for security reasons, I'm going to keep the author of the review anonymous)  
  
_"What the hell was Paul thinking! Wait what the hell were you thinking. Paul and Suze? No way. Jesse and Suze natural pick of the month but you had to twist up the whole story and for me at the begining I think it's crap but the nineth chapter I'll give you credit on and the fact that she's always sleeping or hurt that crap is not working for me. I'm a jersey girl and Suze is from New York she will not act like that or even sleep that long until that idiot ghost thing is at rest. You have ripped the skin off of the story and made it bones and muscle. But we need the whle body the nice protective outter layer and Jesse is pretty much it for Suze if you get my drift."_  
  
Ok...I'm somewhat afraid of this review. Seriously. And, that fear made me write the final chapter! Hahaha!!! However, I'm going to review to some of the stuff in the review:  
  
_"What the hell was Paul thinking! Wait what the hell were you thinking. Paul and Suze? No way. Jesse and Suze natural pick of the month but you had to twist up the whole story and for me at the begining I think it's crap"  
_  
I'm sorry! I really am! Ok, maybe I'm not. Hints of sarcasm abound!! I am sorry that you think it's crap though. The whole Paul/Suze aspect was one of the main points of the story.  
  
_" the fact that she's always sleeping or hurt that crap is not working for me"_  
  
I'm sorry. (more sarcasm, are you getting it?) I didn't get the memo that I was supposed to make you happy. Someone wanna pass that on?  
  
Ok...enough sarcasm. Really. And now, the story: Also: I'm really not usually so sarcastic when it comes to flames. This is just my first big one, wanted to make it special!  
  


**Suze's POV:**  
  
I stomped home, trying not to put my fist through any bricks. It was really hard though. I mean, everything made me think of Paul and how mad he was when he saw me and Jesse kissing. Not that I was willingly kissing him, he kissed me, I pushed him off, blah blah blah. I got home, and threw myself on my bed, about to cry until my eyes fell out because I _am_ a girl, and just because I act all tough doesn't mean I don't occasionally wanna cry because the guy I'm majorally into thinks I cheated on him when I didn't.  
  
Damn life sucks.  
  
So anyways, my plan was to cry. What I did, however, was go home and get dragged out into public with my mom and Andy for some business dinner thing Andy made us go to. We got to meet his new co workers- Ricardo De friggin' Silva!- who brought his kids as well!  
  
Damn. Damn, damn, DAMN!!!  
  
It got worse as the night went on, and Jesse and I found ourselves walking around outside. He tried to be all nice and apologize for earlier, but I smacked him. "What the hell, Susannah?"  
  
"That was for making me and Paul fight!" I smacked him again. "That was for wishing for me!" I smacked him again. "And that was for every other mean thing you've done!" Then I started to storm off to a pay phone or something and call Paul and make him listen, when De Silva grabbed my arm, pulled me roughly to him, and kissed me again.  
  
This time, I wasted no time is pushing him off. "GET AWAY FROM ME!" I shrieked.  
  
"Suze?" I heard Paul yell. Jesse was still yanking on my arm, and it looked like he was attacking me, I guess, under the streetlamp. "Get off her, prick!"  
  
Paul came running up and popped Jesse in the eye. Jesse stumbled back and Paul asked me, in a gentle voice, "Are you alright?"  
  
It all came out, in this big rush. "I'm Ok. I was going to go call you and make you listen and believe me, I'm not cheating on you, I don't love Jesse, I don't even like him a little bit, I love you! I was going to call or come over or something, and he just grabs my arm, and pulls me up to him, and then you came along and-" Paul silenced me with a finger to my lips.  
  
He grinned and said, "Wanna repeat that a little slower?"  
  
I laughed slightly and repeated my ramblings. Paul grinned, kissed me and then said, "I believe you."  
  
"Then what was your deal earlier?"  
  
"I don't know. I was just...Pissed, and Rico said some stuff to me at lunch, about you wanting him, and I thought it was true-"  
  
"Hey, rambling's my specialty." I cut in. "And he said the same thing to me, right before he kissed me, except that you were cheating on me."  
  
"You know what? Let's not worry about it right now." Paul said, linking hands with me. "Let's just get back to wherever it is you were, and deal with it later."  
  
"Works for me."

And we walked off, leaving Jesse on the sidewalk to fume.

OK THIS IS THE END OF THE STORY!!! Originally, it was ended at Chapter 7, but I added 8-10, and I kinda wish I hadn't cuz it sucks...but anyways, happy reading!


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